REPLACING:

Lauren Boebert (R) [i]

WORK HISTORY:

Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe PC (Director); Beckner & Hurd LLC (Partner); Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (Litigation Associate); U.S. Courts of Appeals (Law Clerk for Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich); Faegre & Benson LLP (Summer Associate) [ii]

EDUCATION:

LLM, Columbia Law School; JD, University of Denver – Sturm College of Law; BA, University of Notre Dame; Diploma, Grand Junction High School [iii]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Border Security; Better Jobs for a Better Economy; Empower Working Families; Energy & Energy Independence; Water; Agriculture; 21^st Century Technology & Jobs [iv]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Hurd is pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, but believes abortion should otherwise be outlawed at some point in the pregnancy. [v] He would oppose a national ban on abortion, preferring to leave the matter to the states.[vi] [vii] Hurd supports access to in vitro fertilization and birth control and would oppose using the FDA or the Comstock Act to revoke access to Mifepristone. [viii] [ix] [x] In Congress, Hurd said he would not sign on to co-sponsor the Life at Conception Act, which would extend equal protection for the right to life to embryos. [xi] [xii]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

Hurd argues the border is both “a national security crisis and a massive political failure.” [xiii] He “strongly supports” legal immigration but believes that the inability to control the border means the U.S. “isn’t meeting its fundamental responsibilities toward its citizens.” [xiv] He has called for securing the border “immediately” by resuming construction of the border wall and providing border patrol and law enforcement with “all resources necessary to enforce the law.” [xv] [xvi] Hurd supports a pathway to legal status for DREAMers and wants to reform the asylum system “to promptly and efficiently expedite asylum claims, to ensure genuine claims are addressed, and to prevent abuse of the asylum process.” [xvii] He would also support increasing the number of farmworker visas to help labor challenges in Colorado’s agriculture sector. [xviii] Hurd has called for the immediate deportation of those living in the U.S. illegally who have committed violent crimes but believes those who are working “need to have an opportunity to have a legal working status here.” [xix]

ECONOMY & JOBS:

One of Hurd’s top priorities in Congress will be “creating opportunities so rural Colorado economies can thrive,” including bringing higher-paying jobs to his district. While Hurd admits government has an “important role” to play in economic development, he argues that government is best when it focuses on creating the conditions that allow businesses to thrive on their own. He will work to eliminate unnecessary mandates and regulations and fight to make sure small businesses in Colorado can succeed. [xx] Hurd believes new innovations like blockchain technology and cryptocurrency “have the potential to radically change our society for the better” and will work to ensure there are sensible regulations to govern these emerging sectors. [xxi] He would prefer to let the market decide on raising the minimum wage. [xxii]

TAXES:

Hurd supports the Child Tax Credit and would work to expand other tax credits and investments to assist parents in paying for childcare. [xxiii] When asked what provisions of Trump’s tax cuts he would extend or allow to expire in 2025, Hurd said he would “have to look at the various provisions to confirm each and every one, but I’m inclined to extend those provisions.” [xxiv]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

Hurd believes one of the largest issues regarding crime and public safety is the criminal element that crosses the border illegally. [xxv]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

Hurd believes climate change is real and poses challenges, but that it must be addressed “through thoughtful energy policy that promotes economic growth and human development.” [xxvi] He has said energy independence is important, but that it is also beneficial for the United States to export its energy resources. [xxvii] Hurd supports the “responsible development” and expansion of Colorado energy, including oil and natural gas – which he claims are “some of the cleanest […] in the world.” [xxviii] [xxix] He has lamented the regulations that he claims have driven coal plants in Colorado to close unnecessarily and would lift the Biden administration’s ban on the construction of liquified natural gas exports. [xxx] [xxxi] A believer in free markets, Hurd is “open to competitively priced renewable energy and low-carbon resources” and has pledged to work with companies interested in developing power plants, “safe technologies,” and well-paying energy jobs to his district. [xxxii] In Congress, he would also support permitting and regulatory reform efforts and work with Colorado’s agriculture community to protect the state’s water resources. [xxxiii] Hurd would like to see nuclear energy developed in Colorado. [xxxiv] He is unsure if he would support extending clean energy tax credits for electric vehicles, stating he is “generally skeptical of the government putting its thumb on the scale of a particular energy technology.” [xxxv]

FOREIGN POLICY:

Hurd would support deploying U.S. troops into combat zones only when there is “a clear national security threat, a defined mission with achievable objectives, and when such action complies with the Constitution and relevant federal laws.” [xxxvi] He has left the option open to deploy U.S. troops to Taiwan in the event it is attacked by China, stating, “It would have to depend on the specific circumstances, but I think protecting Taiwan is definitely in our national security interest.” [xxxvii] Hurd supports continuing military and financial aid for Ukraine, so long as it is “tied to a strategic objective that shows that aid is being used effectively.” [xxxviii] He believes the Biden administration’s initial response to the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel was good but wishes the administration “would actually follow up.” [xxxix] He supports continued aid to Israel but would need to know how the humanitarian aid for Gaza would be used before he could support it. [xl]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Hurd would not support the elimination of the Affordable Care Act, but he has called for significant reforms of the program. [xli] He believes reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid are crucial for bringing down the costs of healthcare. [xlii] He has also called for more pricing transparency in medical procedures. [xliii] While Hurd has criticized the national debt and argued that the government needs to live within its means, has said those who have paid into Social Security should be entitled to those benefits. [xliv]

DEMOCRACY:

Hurd has said he has “not personally seen evidence of fraud in the 2020 election that, in my view, would’ve changed the results.” [xlv] He has “serious concerns” about rank choice voting, arguing that it “confuses people” and is “worse than the system we have currently.” [xlvi]

SOCIAL ISSUES:

In June 2024, Hurd criticized state Republican leaders after the Colorado GOP called for the burning of all Pride flags in a social media post and sent a mass email that evoked an anti-gay slur, calling it “another massive failure by state GOP leadership.” [xlvii]